Elinor Caplan

[Canada Customs and Revenue Agency, April 10th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to tell the member opposite that in fact customs officers are doing a fine job. They have been given advice from the commissioner of the RCMP and an independent job hazard analysis has determined that firearms are not required. Whenever they need police assistance, we have a very good relationship with local police and the RCMP. I can tell the member that is the appropriate policy.

[Border Security, April 9th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, Commissioner Zaccardelli has said very clearly that customs officers do not need guns. We have a report from the job hazard analysis where an independent expert has concluded that customs officers do not need guns.

If the member understood the important role that customs officers play, he would know they have the tools to do that job, and they are highly competent and respected. The member opposite would do well to stop acting as a lobbyist for the right wing gun--

[Border Security, April 9th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, while there may be a few gullible people who would think the member opposite is saying something accurate, those who look at the record would know that the facts are as follows. I have enormous respect for the integrity, confidence and dedication of our customs officers, and I have said so at every opportunity.

I have also said that their health and safety is a priority for us. I have talked about the policies of hot pursuit police chases as well as bank robberies, and that the common policy of putting safety first is the policy of CCRA.

[Points of Order, April 8th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, nowhere in any of those articles does it use the words “glorified bank tellers”. Neither does it attribute to me that comment, other than the security concerns that we have about customs officers not placing themselves in any kind of jeopardy.

[Canada Customs and Revenue Agency, April 8th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for the question. This is the first time that I have been made aware of that complaint.

We are committed at CCRA to ensuring that the official language policy is not only alive and well, but that all those clients who wish to have contact with the agency are able to do so in either of the official languages. I will look into the complaint. If the member were to have any details, I would ask him to give them to me. They would be helpful as I review this matter.

[Canada Customs and Revenue Agency, April 8th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I challenge the member opposite to table in the House any place where I ever said what he just attributed to me. That is absolutely false, and he knows it.

I take very seriously what the Auditor General has to say. I met with her earlier this week. I am very proud of the work that Canada customs officers do. CCRA is a very important partner in border security, as well as facilitation.

I take the criticism by the hon. member for what it is, a cheap shot.

[Canada Customs and Revenue Agency, April 8th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, we are very proud of the role that customs officers play on the primary line at all Canada's ports of entry. We also are really pleased to say that we have signed a memorandum of understanding with citizenship and immigration.

We have taken the Auditor General's recommendations and already begun to implement them to ensure that we better monitor the effectiveness so that we and all Canadians can be assured that Canada customs is doing the job. All Canadians should be proud of them.

[Canada Customs and Revenue Agency, March 28th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, for a moment I thought I heard the voice of Charlton Heston, the spokesman for the American gun lobby, but in fact we have the official gun lobbyist here for the Alliance Party.

He would know that the commissioner of the RCMP, Mr. Zaccardelli, has said very clearly that customs officers should not have guns. The job hazard analysis was conducted by an independent expert in this area. In her early working draft said that it would be like having an accident waiting to happen.

I would say to the member opposite: get with the program.

[Canada Customs and Revenue Agency, March 27th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, in accordance with Standing Order 32(2) I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency's summary of the corporate business plan for 2003-04 to 2005-06, entitled “Innovations”.

[Canada Customs and Revenue Agency, March 26th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, this is an interesting and important question. When we talk about the 24 hour notice, there are a couple of different 24 hour proposals. One would relate to land crossings and the other to goods entering Canada via marine crossings.

I can tell her that we actually agree there should be 24 hour notice for those coming into Canada by ship. It is on land crossings where a proposal has been made that we have some serious concerns. It is only a proposal and we are working right now to ensure that the interests of both exporters and importers are taken into consideration when that final decision is made.